Riverside County 2020-2021 - California Grand Jury Reports

From the annual report

The consolidated year-end volume. The individual investigations it contains are listed separately below.

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The full consolidated volume; individual reports are listed below.

Individual reports (6)

January 21, 2021 — Short Term Rentals

16 pages 4 findings 4 recommendations

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Findings & Recommendations 4 findings

F1: The Riverside County Civil Grand Jury finds the current draft revision of Ordinance 927.1 does not provide enough protection for, nor does it allow input from neighboring residences of Short Term Rental properties. Without additional requirements placed on the STR owners, the stated goal of the ordinance “to ensure neighborhood compatibility and reduce conflicts within the surrounding residential neighborhood” may not be achieved. The neighboring residences of STRs must be confident that the rules governing STRs are enforced and that they have a process to register their complaints in a formal manner that also requires a response by the County. 11

Related Recommendations (1)

R1: The Civil Grand Jury recommends the following requirements be added to revision 927.1: 1) Property inspections to validate occupancy, parking, and visitor limits 2) Verification of the 24/7 local contact phone number 3) A defense and indemnification agreement 4) A Neighbor Complaint Form such as that used by Ventura County to ensure that neighbors have a documented avenue to register possible violations of the ordinance with full expectations of a response by the County. To be completed in conjunction with the approval of Ordinance 927.1. (Finding 1).

F2: The increase in requirements on STRs outlined in the draft revision of Ordinance 927.1 will result in additional personnel needed for enforcement. Without serious enforcement efforts, the ordinance and its rules will become another lost opportunity for real change and leave the neighbors of the STRs with little leverage to preserve their community’s quality of life.

Related Recommendations (1)

R2: Whether Code Enforcement or outsourcing is used to enforce the added restrictions imposed by the revised Ordinance 927.1, an increase in personnel will be required. The Civil Grand Jury recommends that the STR initial certificate and renewal fees be increased to an amount that will fund the appropriate level of enforcement personnel. To be completed in conjunction with the approval of Ordinance 927.1. (Finding 2).

F3: The Ordinance 924, addressing multiple responses to loud and unruly parties, is not referenced in the STR Ordinance 927. This omission, the lack of a written procedure for implementation of 924 violations, as well as the difficulty for the Sheriff to enforce noise Ordinance 847, results in the lack of a clear and efficient process for dealing with noise complaints.

Related Recommendations (1)

R3: The RIVCO Planning Department, Code Enforcement, and the Sheriff must collaboratively pursue a process that will ensure County ordinances and department procedures adequately address noise complaints. To be completed by December 31, 2021. (Finding 3). 12

F4: The databases used for STRCs and TOTCs were found to have discrepancies that may result in lost revenues for the County.

Related Recommendations (1)

R4: From the following Governing bodies within 90 days: • Riverside County Board of Supervisors; Findings 1 and 2, and Recommendations 1 and 2. From the following Riverside County Agency within 90 days: • The Riverside County Transportation and Land Management Director; Findings 1, 2, 3 and 4 and Recommendations 1, 2, 3 and 4.

January 21, 2021 — Short Term Rentals

16 pages 4 findings 4 recommendations

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Findings & Recommendations 4 findings

Related Recommendations (1)

F4: The databases used for STRCs and TOTCs were found to have discrepancies that may result in lost revenues for the County.

Related Recommendations (1)

November 03, 2020 — Was the Riverside County November 2020 Consolidated General Election Administered Fairly and Impartially?

41 pages 7 findings 13 recommendations

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Findings & Recommendations 7 findings

F1: After extensive interviews, website reviews, and document reviews, there is significant evidence that Riverside County election officials were well informed of applicable November 2020 Federal and California election laws, regulations, and executive orders. Many city officials who were directly responsible for election activities within their jurisdictions expressed gratitude to the Riverside County Registrar of Voters Department personnel for keeping them well informed of changes in California’s laws and procedures, especially changes required by Executive Order N-64-20 and Executive Order N-67-20 during the pandemic. Research Question 2: Did Riverside County election officials effectively communicate with voters?

Related Recommendations (1)

R1: The Riverside County Civil Grand Jury recommends the Riverside County Registrar of Voters Department make it easier for voters to locate their specific election guide, with candidate statements, and sample ballots in two ways by the end of 2021: 1. Highlight “Election Guides and Sample Ballots” on their website as they did for the options below: 2. Include the website link where voters can access their election guides, candidate statements, and sample ballots in their “News Release” announcing that the voter information guides are on the way to voters.63 Source: Finding 2 Financial Impact – There are no additional costs associated with this recommendation.

F2: After extensive interviews, website reviews, and document reviews, there is significant evidence that Riverside County election officials, both those individuals working directly for Riverside County, as well as those individuals who worked directly for cities, made extensive efforts to inform voters of their voting options and locations through news releases, social media, announcements during official public meetings, and websites. Additionally, city officials throughout the county indicated that, except on rare occasions, they received answers to their questions from the Registrar of Voters Department in a timely manner, so they could provide voters accurate information. Even with the extensive efforts to communicate with the voters during the November 2020 election cycle, there were four noteworthy communication issues that came up: • timely distribution of “Consolidated General Election Guides” and mail-in-ballots • use of the state’s new ballot tracking system • generating certified election results faster • demystifying ballot processing 1. Timely Materials Distribution: For the November 2020 election, Riverside County had a total of 864 voting precincts requiring 369 separate ballot types to cover all the different combinations of elected offices, candidates, and measures throughout the county. To prepare for the election, the Riverside County Registrar of Voters Department contracted with a vendor to print the required number of “Consolidated General Election Guides” and another vendor to print the required number of mail-in ballots. The Registrar of Voters 10 Department provided approximately 1.2 million voter registration records to the vendor in early September 2020 so that mailing could commence on October 5, 2020 as required by California law.24 In some parts of the County, mail-in ballots arrived days before “Consolidated General Election Guides.” Consequently, (1) some voters returned their ballots before they had the opportunity to review the information contained within the “Consolidated General Election Guide” and (2) some candidates were upset. Candidates spend considerable time, effort, and funds preparing their candidate statements for voters and expect their statements to arrive in the “Consolidated General Election Guides” so that voters are well informed before casting their ballots. Based on interviews and documentary evidence, it was clear that the delivery problem was caused by the U. S. Postal Service and not by the Riverside County Registrar of Voters Department. For future elections, the Riverside County Registrar of Voters Department intends to increase the number of days from 2 to at least 7 days between mailing “Consolidated General Election Guides” and mail- in ballots. It is important to note that the Registrar of Voters Department had two ways in which voters could view their information guides and sample ballots on its website. However, many voters were not aware that information guides, with candidate statements, and sample ballots were available to them online. For those who did know, the information was available online, the information was not easy to find. 2. State Ballot Tracking System: California Executive Order N-67-20 required all county elections officials to use the Secretary of State's vote-by mail ballot tracking system, created pursuant to Elections Code section 3019.7, and to use Intelligent Mail Barcodes on all vote- by-mail ballot envelopes. For the November 2020 election, the California Secretary of State approved BallotTrax to track ballots through a system titled “Where’s My Ballot?”. The tracking system was designed to send voters automatic emails, SMS (texts), or voice call notifications about a voter’s ballot as it was (1) mailed to them, (2) received by the county’s Registrar’s office, (3) counted, and (4) notified if there was a problem with their ballot. The Riverside County 24 Report of Registration as of October 19, 2020 Registration by County, . (October 19, 2020). California Secretary of State. https://elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/ror/15day-gen-2020/county.pdf. Accessed March 31, 2021. Registrar of Voters Department announced the “Where’s My Ballot?” option to voters on its website.25 The California Secretary of State’s Office activated its “Where’s My Ballot?” system on September 28, 2020. The automated system informed voters in some California counties that they would receive their ballots through the U. S. Postal Service within the next 7 days. However, the mailing of ballots had not yet commenced, According to California law, an “elections official shall not commence to mail the combined county voter information guide and mail ballot before the 29th day before the election and shall complete the mailing by the 10th day before the election.”26 In compliance with the law, the Riverside County Registrar of Voters Department commenced mailing November 2020 election materials on October 5, 2020. The lack of coordination between the state’s tracking system and when ballots were legally mailed to voters caused some voters to question the integrity of the election process. Additional voter concerns were evident when the state’s tracking system did not function as some voters expected. The state’s BallotTrax tracking system did not track ballots in “real time,” nor was it designed to do so. The California Secretary of State’s website informed voters that they would not receive a “ballot received” notice for 5 to 7 days after the ballot was cast.27 However, some voters assumed that they could track their ballot immediately after they dropped their ballot into a mailbox, inserted it into a ballot drop-off box, or dropped their ballot into a Voter Assistance Center ballot collection box. In actuality, the state’s tracking system informed voters that their ballots were “received” only after their ballots (1) arrived at the Registrar of Voters’ processing facility and (2) their ballots passed the signature verification process. Problems associated with the new California Secretary of State ballot tracking system occurred at the state level and can only be corrected at the state level. Where’s My Ballot?. (n.d.). Riverside County Registrar of Voters. https://www.voteinfo.net/Elections/20201103/docs/Wheres%20my%20ballot.pdf . Accessed March 22, 2021. California Elections Code, Division 4, Chapter 2, 4101. (2016, September 21). California Legislative Information. https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=ELEC&sectionNum=4101 . Accessed April 5, 2021. Where’s My Ballot? Troubleshooting – Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ). (2020, February 4). California Secretary of State. https://elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov//statewide-elections/2020-general/ballottrax- troubleshooting.pdf. Accessed April 2, 2021. 12 3. Generating Certified Election Results Faster: In several interviews, interviewees expressed their desire to have future election results produced faster without causing inaccuracies in processing ballots. Their comments were derived from their experiences with past elections in general and not focused on November 2020 specifically. As for the November 2020 election, interviewees were aware the Registrar of Voters Department was processing a very high number of mail-in ballots, and even with the necessary precautions taken, the Registrar of Voters Department had several employees who could not work as originally planned, due to COVID-19.28 To make processing ballots even more challenging, it was difficult to find enough temporary workers during the pandemic to help process ballots when some companies increased their incentives for applicants to work for them. Yet, the Riverside County Registrar of Voters Department certified the November 2020 election results on time as required by state law.29 Even with the challenges confronting the Riverside County Registrar of Voters Department, it processed 1,016,896 ballots of which 89.28%30 were vote-by-mail ballots. Interviewees expressed appreciation for the Riverside County Registrar of Voters Department’s efforts to process such a high volume of vote-by-mail ballots as fast as they did, as well as for keeping the public informed of the vote counts as ballots were processed. From November 3, 2020 to December 3, 2020, the Registrar of Voters Department updated its website 28 times to keep anyone interested informed as counting continued. Even so, Registrar of Voters Department personnel are exploring options that would produce future election results faster, while maintaining accuracy. 4. Demystify Ballot Processed through Communication Avenues: The intense scrutiny of the November 2020 election process has many voters across the United States questioning the fairness and impartiality of the election process, and that includes the November 2020 election held within Riverside County. Most of those concerns 28 Thropay, C. (2020, November 30). KESQ Channel 3 Palm Springs. Riverside County provides update after several Registrar’s office staff test positive and quarantine a week before the deadline to certify election results. https://kesq.com/news/2020/11/30/riverside-county-provides-update-after-several-staff-test- positive-and-quarantine-a-week-before-the-deadline-to-certify-election-results/. Accessed April 5, 2021. November 3, 2020 General Election Calendar, pages 8-21. California Secretary of State. (2020, October 5). https://elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov//statewide-elections/2020-primary/section-8-general-calendar.pdf. Accessed May 9, 2021. Voter Participation Statistics by County November 3, 2020, General Election, . (n.d.). California Secretary of State. https://elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/sov/2020-general/sov/03-voter-participation-stats- by-county.pdf. Accessed April 8, 2021. 13 are outside the purview of Riverside County Civil Grand Jury to address (i.e., federal and/or state issues). However, some of those concerns expressed by Riverside County voters can be addressed through a better understanding of the election process. For example, the Riverside County Registrar of Voters Department employs procedures to certify and confirm the accuracy of ballot counting machines, confirm ballot signatures, and in cases where multiple ballots are cast by the same voter, there is a process to ensure that only one ballot counts. To summarize Research Question 2 findings: 1. Although there were communication challenges, Riverside County election officials effectively communicated with voters. 2. Vote-by-mail ballots arriving before “Consolidated General Election Guides” was caused by the U. S. Postal Service. 3. Incorrect and misleading information associated with the state’s new ballot tracking system was caused by both computer programming errors within the Secretary of State’s tracking system and the assumption by many individuals that the tracking involved “real time” tracking when it was not designed to function that way. 4. The Registrar of Voters Department frequently updated November 3, 2020 election results as ballots were processed. 5. There is interest in generating accurate election results faster. 6. The lack of knowledge about the election ballot counting process resulted in questions about the fairness and impartiality of the election. 7. It was not easy for voters to locate their specific election information guides, with candidate statements, and sample ballots online. Research Question 3: Did Riverside County Registrar of Voters Department provide sufficient training to those who would implement the November 2020 election?

Related Recommendations (1)

R2: Anticipating that future elections will require the Registrar of Voters Department print and mail large numbers of vote-by-mail ballots to all registered voters (e.g., AB 37), the Riverside County Civil Grand Jury recommends that the Riverside County Registrar of Voters Department submit a 28 detailed plan to the Riverside County Executive Office that identifies the steps needed to develop, print, and distribute future election guides and vote-by-mail ballots to registered voters. The detailed plan should include requiring printing vendors to have all election materials available for distribution to the U. S. Postal Service at least two workdays before mailing can legally commence. The detailed plan should be submitted to the Riverside County Executive Office no later than the first public Board of Supervisors meeting in 2022. Source: Finding 2 Financial Impact – There are no additional costs associated with this recommendation.

F3: Riverside County Registrar of Voters Department personnel provided training sessions and materials to individuals who worked at the county’s ballot processing facility, to city officials involved in the election process for their communities, to individuals who worked at the 130 Voter Assistance Centers, and to individuals responsible for monitoring vote-by- mail drop-off boxes, including transporting ballots from drop-off boxes to the county’s ballot processing facility. Training Sessions: Hundreds of individuals were involved in Riverside County’s November 2020 election process. Documentary and electronic media evidence conclusively illustrated that the Registrar of Voters Department personnel clearly identified the tasks that needed to be 14 performed and trained personnel to accomplish those tasks, including the safety measures needed due to COVID-19. City Officials: The vast majority of city officials, throughout Riverside County, indicated that they received the training they needed to conduct the November 2020 election. Additionally, there were comments about how the training sessions noticeably improved in the last few years. The few exceptions were newly hired city personnel who expressed appreciation for the training they received but felt more personalized training was needed. Voter Assistance Centers: There were 130 Voter Assistance Centers across Riverside County where voters went to cast their votes. Each Voter Assistance Center had at least 10 personnel assigned to it with an identified person as the “Supervisor” and another person identified as the “Assistant Supervisor.” Voting Assistance Center supervisors and assistant supervisors received many hours of training over four weeks, while others who worked at the Voting Assistance Centers received a few hours training. When Voter Assistance Center supervisors were asked to evaluate the effectiveness of the training they received, 89.28% responded that their training was either “Extremely Useful” or “Very Useful.” When Voter Assistance Center supervisors were asked to evaluate how well the others who worked with them were trained, 67.86% responded that the training their staff received was either “Extremely Useful” or “Very Useful.” Drop-Off Box Workers: Drop-off box workers monitored drop-off boxes and/or collected ballots across Riverside County and transported ballots to the Riverside County Registrar of Voters processing facility. When asked if they received the training they needed to perform their responsibilities, 100% indicated that they did. To summarize Research Question 3 findings: The evidence was conclusive that the Riverside County Registrar of Voters Department conducted a comprehensive series of training sessions for several months leading up to the November 2020 election and that the training sessions prepared personnel to fulfill their responsibilities. Survey results revealed the need for hands-on training, role-playing scenarios, and more training for non- supervisor staff members. Research Question 4: Did Riverside County election officials conduct the November 2020 election as required by applicable Federal and California laws, regulations, and executive orders?

Related Recommendations (1)

R3: The Riverside County Civil Grand Jury recommends the Registrar of Voters Department produce a video series, by September 30, 2022, that illustrates the steps their department goes through in the election process. It is recommended that the video series emphasize the following topics: • Vote-by-mail drop-off box use, security, and transportation of ballots to the ballot processing facility. • How ballots are processed including signature confirmation and duplicate ballots voided. • Technology usage including certification, continual updates, testing for accuracy, and manual count confirmation. The Riverside County Civil Grand Jury suggests the Registrar of Voters Department consider inviting high schools, school districts, community colleges, and universities within Riverside County that have video production capabilities to produce the video series under its guidance.* The video series could be produced and available for the Registrar of Voters website and Riverside County city websites. * In 2017, Education Code sections 51470–51474 established the “State Seal of Civic Engagement” which encourages, and creates pathways for students “in elementary and secondary schools to become civically engaged in democratic governmental institutions at the local, state, and national levels.” High school students who meet five state requirements will be recognized with the “State Seal of Civic Engagement” on the high school diplomas. Creating videos for the Registrar of Voters Department would help students meet criteria 3 to earn this special recognition. Source: Finding 2 Financial Impact – Minimal if students from educational institutions are engaged in the production of these video series. 29

F4: With one exception, the November 2020 election was conducted as required by applicable Federal and California laws, regulations. The one exception occurred on the first day of the four days of in-person voting (i.e., 15 Saturday, October 31, 2020). Some voters across Riverside County could not cast their votes as planned due to a technical problem. For the November 2020 election, Riverside County used an election software system that permitted employees working at the 130 Voter Assistance Centers to verify voter eligibility by accessing a centralized voter registration database. From October 5th through October 30th, the election software system functioned properly during early voting sessions at four Riverside County locations, but failed to function properly when all 130 Voter Assistance Center locations opened for in-person voting on the morning of Saturday, October 31st. The technical problem was resolved by 1:00 p.m. and did not occur again during the rest of four days of in-person voting. The technical problem did delay voters that morning from casting their ballots as they planned to do. Reportedly, some voters waited until the technical issue was resolved to vote, while other voters returned later that day, or sometime during the next three in-person voting days to cast their votes. There is no way to determine how many eligible voters did not vote due to the technical problem. Even without technical problems, some in-person voting locations had long lines of voters waiting to cast their ballots. In some cases, voters waited over an hour. It was not possible to determine how many individuals did not vote due to long waiting lines. However, certainly more individuals would have voted if the waiting time were reduced and did not interfere with their previous plans for the day (e.g., get to work on time). Furthermore, some city election officials mentioned that an improvement could be made for future elections if larger signs were available to them. Some voters could not find in-person voting locations easily. Larger signs indicating where to park their cars and where to walk over to vote in person would be helpful. It is important to note that several city election officials mentioned how important it was that they gathered personnel from across their various city departments, including law enforcement personnel, to ensure that the election was conducted fairly, securely, and legally. To summarize Research Question 4 findings: Riverside County election officials conducted the November 2020 election as required by applicable Federal and California laws, regulations, and executive orders. The technical problem occurred at the very beginning of the four-day in-person voting days and it was corrected in time for voters to still cast their ballots. The voting process can be enhanced if voters do not have to wait in long lines to vote. Also, if larger signs are posted near the in-person voting locations it will improve visibility of the voting locations and parking. Research Question 5: Were there instances of “election irregularities” during the November 2020 election?

Related Recommendations (1)

R4: In collaboration with the Riverside County Executive Office, the Riverside County Civil Grand Jury recommends the Registrar of Voters Department develop and present a plan to the Board of Supervisors prior to the next primary election, that, if approved and implemented, would allow the public to view, via live streaming, all ballot processing phases in a way that maintains voter confidentiality. Source: Finding 2 Financial Impact – There are no additional costs associated with this recommendation.

F5: Some interviewees expressed concerns that the November 2020 election was not conducted as required by Federal and California laws, regulations, and executive orders. Those concerns were in three general areas: (1) accuracy of voter rolls, (2) ballot drop-off box uncertainty, and (3) ballot “chain of custody.” 1. Accuracy of Voter Rolls: According to the California Secretary of State, Riverside County had 1,241,55231 registered voters eligible to vote in the November 2020 election. As in previous statewide elections, errors were made across the state. Examples included some voters who received multiple ballots, residences receiving ballots for deceased persons, and/or ineligible persons who received ballots and may have even attempted to vote. Errors were made because there were inaccuracies in the state- controlled voter registration database that all California county Registrar of Voters officials were required to use. Voter rolls were established by provisions in Federal law32 and maintained at the state level by California Code of Regulations.33 There were provisions within those laws and regulations that focus on correcting inaccurate information. For example, in California, its centralized voter registration database is called VoteCal. To minimize inaccuracies, the VoteCal database is frequently compared with the following databases:34 • VoteCal database is compared with the California Department of Public Health database to prevent someone from registering to vote in the name of a deceased person and to cancel the voter registration for deceased persons. • VoteCal database is compared with the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) database to update voter addresses. Additionally, VoteCal retrieves signatures from the California Department of Motor Vehicles, appends them to the voter's 31 Voter Participation Statistics by County November 3, 2020, General Election, . (n.d.). California Secretary of State. https://elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/sov/2020-general/sov/03-voter-participation-stats- by-county.pdf. Accessed April 8, 2021. National Voter Registration Act, 1993. (2019, May 21). United State Department of Justice. https://www.justice.gov/crt/about-national-voter-registration-act. Accessed April 9, 2021. Statewide Voter Registration Database. (n.d.). California Secretary of State. https://www.sos.ca.gov/administration/regulations/current-regulations/elections/statewide-voter- registration-database#section-20108.18. Accessed April 8, 2021. VoteCal Overview. (n.d.). California Secretary of State. https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/voter- registration/votecal-project. Accessed April 8, 2021. 17 application, and stores them for access by county elections officials. • VoteCal database is compared with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation database to reject voter registration applications from confirmed felons. Existing felons’ voter registrations were cancelled. • VoteCal exchanges information with the California Employment Development Department to get national address change information from the U. S. Postal Service for voter registration records. If a voter's address has changed, his or her information is updated in VoteCal and the voter's registration record and voting history is transferred to the voter's new county. Conversely, there are provisions within federal35 and state laws36 that may introduce errors in the California Secretary of State’s VoteCal database. For instance, a 2018 California law involving “applicants completing a driver license, identification card or change of address transaction online, by mail or in person at the DMV, will be automatically registered to vote by the California Secretary of State, unless they choose to opt out of automatic voter registration.”37 The intent of the “California New Motor Voter Program” was to reverse low voter turnouts and to diversify California’s electorate. It succeeded in doing so as Figure 1 and Table 2 illustrate. However, some citizens expressed concerns that the rapid increase in registered voters indicates inaccuracies in voter rolls which threaten the integrity of election results.38, 39, 40 35 National Voter Registration Act, 1993. (2019, May 21). United State Department of Justice. https://www.justice.gov/crt/about-national-voter-registration-act#prov. Accessed April 9, 2021. California New Motor Voter Program. Elections Code, Division 2, Chapter 4.5, Section 2262. (February 26, 2018). California Legislative Information. https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=ELEC&sectionNum=2262 .&highlight=true&keyword=Department%20of%20Motor. Accessed April 9, 2021. California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). (n.d.). California Secretary of State. https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/voter-registration/votecal-project. Accessed April 8, 2021. Shelley, S. (2019, August 17). Los Angeles Daily News. The many flaws of California’s motor voter program. https://www.dailynews.com/2019/08/17/the-many-flaws-of-californias-motor-voter- program/. Accessed April 9, 2021. Associated Press. (2019, August 9). KFMB CBS News 8, San Diego. Audit finds problems with California 'motor voter' program. https://www.cbs8.com/article/news/local/audit-finds-problems-with-california- motor-voter-program/509-8fbb1592-87f0-41d8-9ae7-17cf622b34c6. Accessed April 9, 2021. Price, S. (2019, August 30). KFMB CBS News 8, San Diego. Verify: Are hundreds of thousands of non-U.S. citizens voting in CA elections?. https://www.cbs8.com/article/news/verify/verify-are-hundreds-of- thousands-of-non-us-citizens-voting-in-ca-elections/509-9a73d20f-c9e1-42ac-a475-24afb5c12259/. Accessed April 9, 2021. Even with the state’s efforts to minimize inaccuracies, Riverside County experienced the same types of errors caused by the state’s 19 VoteCal database as in other California counties. For instance, the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office received approximately 90 ballots from some desert-area voters claiming that some ballots were sent to deceased people, some people received multiple ballots, and some ballots went to homes where the residents said that they “never heard of the person listed on the mail-in ballot.” 41 (As for potential election fraud, please see the Findings for Research Question 7.) Other statewide errors were caused by logistical issues. To illustrate, the Riverside County Registrar of Voters Department had to provide its vendors, who printed the Consolidated Election Guide and vote- by-mail ballots, voter registration information in early September 2020. This was so the materials could be produced, mailed, and delivered before the November 2020 election. There was a two- month gap between providing the vendors with voter registration information and the election. Fortunately, when ballots were processed at the Riverside County Registrar of Voters Department facility, many voting errors were caught and rectified. For example, voters were identified by their names or slight variation in their names, date of birth, Social Security number, and driver’s license or official state-issued identification number. When a voter cast multiple ballots, the first one counted, and others were automatically eliminated. Another example, when a voter turned in a ballot and forgot to sign the ballot envelope as required, or the signature on the envelope did not match official records, then the Registrar of Voters Department notified the voter and gave the voter the opportunity to submit their signature. If the voter did not respond in a timely manner, as specified in the Registrar of Voters Department letter, or responded with a signature that did not match official records, then the ballot did not progress through the counting process.42 Inaccuracies in the Secretary of State’s VoteCal database are not caused by the Riverside County Registrar of Voters Department. Creating a more accurate voter roll database is a state issue, not a county issue. 41 “Riverside County registrar accuses DA of bullying, interfering with election,” The Press Enterprise, by Jeff Horseman, March 4, 2021, https://www.pe.com/2021/03/03/riverside-county-registrar-accuses-da- of-bullying-interfering-with-election/, Accessed March 23, 2021. Signature Verification Statement. (2020, October 24). Riverside County Registrar of Voters. https://www.voteinfo.net/Elections/20201103/docs/Signature%20Verification%20Statement.pdf. Accessed April 9, 2021. 20 2. Ballot Drop-Off Box Uncertainty: By California law,43 the California Secretary of State was required to establish and circulate guidelines for “vote-by-mail ballot drop boxes” on or before January 1, 2017. The guidelines included vote-by-mail drop-off box design requirements, accessibility, locations, hours, collection procedures, chain of custody, and ballot retrieval.44 In accordance with California law, regulations, and Executive Order N-67-20, the Riverside County Registrar of Voters Department established 80 vote-by-mail drop-off locations45, 46 for the November 2020 election. The 80 vote-by-mail drop-off boxes were available to voters from October 5 through November 2, and available at the 130 Voter Assistance Centers from October 31 through November 3, 2020. There was extensive use of drop-off boxes. Of Riverside County’s 1,016,896 November 2020 votes cast, 907,868 (89.28%) were mailed or inserted into vote-by- mail drop-off boxes.47 Even so, some voters told city officials they were wary of vote-by- mail drop-off boxes because (1) the boxes did not look like the drop- off boxes they saw on television, (2) they were uncertain if the drop- off boxes were official drop-off boxes, and (3) the colors on the drop- off boxes looked like political party drop-off boxes. 3. Ballot “Chain of Custody:” During city official and political party leader interviews, one of the questions the Riverside County Civil Grand Jury asked was, “What types of election concerns did voters express to you?” Frequently, voters asked questions along the lines of, “Is my ballot safe if I put it into that box?” or “What will happened to my ballot when I put it into that box?” The answer depended on where the drop-off box was located. Vote by Mail. (2016, July 22). California Elections Code section 3025 (a) (b). California Legislative Information. https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?sectionNum=3025&lawCode=ELEC . Accessed April 10, 2021. Vote-by-Mail Ballot Drop Boxes and Vote-by-Mail Drop-Off Locations. (n.d.). California Secretary of State. California Code of Regulations, Title 2, Division 7, Chapter 3, Article 1. https://www.sos.ca.gov/administration/regulations/current-regulations/elections/vote-mail-ballot- drop-boxes-and-drop-locations. Accessed April 10, 2021. Ballot Drop Off Locations. (n.d.). Riverside County Registrar of Voters. https://www.voteinfo.net/Elections/20201103/docs/BALLOT%20DROP%20BOX%20LOCATIONS.pdf. Accessed April 10, 2021. Drop Off Location Map. (n.d.). Riverside County Registrar of Voters. https://countyofriverside.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=854f401de46f4acc9524 162ec633735e. Accessed April 10, 2021. Statement of Vote: General Election November 3, 2020, . (2020, December 11). California Secretary of State. https://elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/sov/2020-general/sov/complete-sov.pdf. Accessed March 31, 2021. 21 • Vote-by-mail ballots placed in drop-off boxes within Voter Assistance Centers were taken each night, by Voter Assistance Center staff members, to the Registrar of Voters Department processing facility. • Drop-off boxes located within city facilities were monitored by city employees during normal business hours and not accessible to the public during non-business hours (e.g., city hall doors locked up for the night). Ballots were collected and returned to the Registrar of Voters Department processing facility by two Registrar of Voters Department employees. Before ballots left city facilities, ballots were counted, counts recorded, and ballots secured by the two Registrar of Voters Department employees for transporting to the Registrar of Voters Department processing facility. Once ballots arrived at the processing facility, ballot counts were verified to ensure no ballots were misplaced. • Stand-alone drop-off boxes were monitored by two Registrar of Voters Department employees during the day. At the end of the day, ballots were secured and transported to the Registrar of Voters Department processing facility. When not monitored by Registrar of Voters employees, the stand-alone drop-off boxes were secured in a way that ballots could not be inserted. • The only exception to the drop-off box procedure occurred at the Registrar of Voters Department processing facility. There were two drop-off boxes outside the Registrar of Voters Department processing facility where voters could deposit their ballots 24- hours a day. Those two drop-off boxes were as secure, if not more so, than stand-alone U. S. Postal Service boxes. When asked about “unofficial” vote-by-mail drop-off boxes within Riverside County, city officials stated that they were not aware of any “unofficial” vote-by-mail drop-off boxes. A county employee mentioned that he was aware of one or two “unofficial boxes” that sprang up within Riverside County, but they were immediately removed without incident. To summarize Research Question 5 findings: 1. Although county Registrar of Voters departments across the state assist in correcting inaccuracies within the state’s VoteCal database, establishing and maintaining the VoteCal database is the responsibility of the Secretary of State. 2. There was extensive use of the 80 vote-by-mail drop-off boxes. 3. Minor improvements in the appearance of drop-off boxes will instill more confidence in drop-off box usage. 4. The conclusive evidence establishes that ballot “chain of custody” was maintained throughout the November 2020 election. The 2020-2021 Riverside County Civil Grand Jury recognized two controversial issues associated with the vote-by-mail drop-off boxes during the November 2020 election cycle: (1) drop-off box locations and (2) “Authorized Return Agent” signatures on the mail-in ballot return envelopes.48,49 As previously stated in the “Limitations of Study” section of this report, the Riverside County Civil Grand Jury acknowledges there are controversies surrounding the constitutionality and implementation of certain California laws, regulations, and executive orders and, as such, remains neutral on those issues because they are state level issues, not county level issues. Any disagreements about drop-off box locations and “Authorized Return Agent” signatures on the mail-in ballot return envelopes are beyond the purview of the Riverside County Civil Grand Jury Research Question 6: Were ballots accurately counted?

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R5: In collaboration with the Riverside County Executive Office, the Riverside County Civil Grand Jury recommends the Registrar of Voters Department develop a detailed plan to generate election results faster, yet accurately, and present this plan to the Riverside County Board of Supervisors no later than their first public meeting in 2022. Source: Finding 2 Financial Impact – There are no additional costs associated with developing a detailed plan.

F6: Following the November 2020 election, there were numerous media reports about efforts to stop counting ballots50 and allegations against the use of certain voting technologies to count ballots.51 Although more of the media attention was directed toward other states, there were Californians who expressed concerns about Dominion Voting Systems used in California counties as well.”52 Before each election, voting technology “must be certified for use, prior to being sold and/or used in any California election”53 by California’s Secretary of State. More specifically, California’s Secretary of State certifies voting technology after the California Secretary of State’s Office of Voting Systems Technology Assessment evaluates the technology to ensure that a voting system complies with California laws, standards, and security 48 Reyes, J. (2021, March 10). KESQ Channel 3 Palm Springs. Riverside County District Attorney responds to election interference allegations. https://kesq.com/news/2021/03/10/riverside-county-district- attorney-responds-to-election-interference-allegations/. Accessed March 26, 2021. Horseman, J. (2021, March 4). The Press Enterprise. Riverside County registrar accuses DA of bullying, interfering with election. https://www.pe.com/2021/03/03/riverside-county-registrar-accuses-da-of- bullying-interfering-with-election/. Accessed March 23, 2021. Chalfant, M. (2020, November 5). The Hill. Trump tweets 'stop the count' as legal vote counting continues. https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/trump-tweets-stop-the-count-as-legal-vote- counting-continues/ar-BB1aJ3N9. Accessed April 10, 2021. Durkee, A. (2021, March 26). Forbes. After Lawsuit Against Fox News, Here’s Who Dominion Has Sued So Far—And Who Could Be Next. https://www.forbes.com/sites/alisondurkee/2021/03/26/after- lawsuit-against-fox-news-heres-who-dominion-has-sued-so-far-and-who-could-be- next/?sh=201e47aa1ab8. Accessed April 10, 2021. Grimes, K. (2020, November 16). California Globe. How Many California Counties Use ‘Glitchy’ Dominion Voting System? https://californiaglobe.com/section-2/how-many-california-counties-use-glitchy- dominion-voting-system/. Accessed April 10, 2021. Certification and Approval. (n.d.). California Secretary of State. https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/ovsta/certification-and-approval/. Accessed April 10, 2021. 23 requirements.54 For the November 2020 election, Riverside County’s Registrar of Voters Department used the Dominion Democracy Suite Voting System software, certified by the state, as part of its ballot processing procedures. Before using the Dominion Democracy Suite Voting System software with official voter ballots, the Registrar of Voters Department proceeded through several steps to ensure that the hardware and software performed accurately. Those steps included the following: 1. Information Technology personnel completely removed software used in the previous election. 2. Information Technology personnel installed the newly certified Dominion Democracy Suite software. 3. On October 12, 2020, the Registrar of Voters Department released a Public Notice on its website that invited “all interested parties to witness the testing of the voting system logic and accuracy” which would be held on October 14, 2020.56 4. On October 14, 2020, the logic and accuracy of the voting system was tested. Testing involved the use of “test ballots” to determine if scanners collected and processed votes accurately. The data was removed, and subsequent retests were conducted to ensure consistent and accurate results. Additionally, “test ballot” counts were compared to the counts provided by the ballot printer to ensure the counts matched. 5. To ensure that ballots were not counted more than once, comparisons were made between the number of ballots that went through scanners to the number of verified ballot signatures. Coinciding with the Dominion Democracy Suite Voting System software installation and verification work, the Registrar of Voters Department released Public Notices and News Releases, associated with processing ballots and verifying counts. Those Public Notices and News Releases were as follows: 54 Office of Voting Systems Technology Assessment. (n.d.). California Secretary of State. https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/ovsta. Accessed April 10, 2021. Voting Technologies in Use by County. (2020, September 28). California Secretary of State. https://votingsystems.cdn.sos.ca.gov/oversight/county-vsys/vot-tech-by-counties-2020-8.pdf . Accessed April 10, 2021. Logic and Accuracy Voting System Testing for November 3, 2020 Consolidated General Election. (2020, October 12). Riverside County Registrar of Voters, Public Notice. https://www.voteinfo.net/Elections/20201103/docs/LNA_Public_Notice_EN.pdf. Accessed April 12, 2021. 24 1. October 8, 2020, Public Notice, “Election Observer Panel Orientation for the November 3, 2020 Consolidated General Election”57 The Election Observer Panel was convened to (a) provide the public with the opportunity to observe and make suggestions on ways to improve the election process, (b) help ensure the integrity of the election process, and (c) remove some of the mystery associated with the election process in an effort to build voter confidence and encourage more people to take part. 2. October 20, 2020, Public Notice, “Vote-By-Mail Ballot Processing for the November 3, 2020 Consolidated General Election”58 This notice informed the public that processing ballots would commence no earlier than October 20, 2020 and that ballot “processing includes opening Vote-by-Mail Ballot return envelopes, removing ballots, and duplicating any damaged ballots and preparing the ballots to be machine read and machine reading them.” 3. October 26, 2020, Public Notice, “November 3, 2020 Consolidated General Election One Percent Manual Tally”59 This notice informed the public that, as required by California law,60 Riverside County election officials scheduled a “one percent manual tally” to confirm vote counts. The “one percent” refers to the random selection of one percent of Riverside County’s 864 precincts to be included in a manual count and, if the random selection of precincts does not include all races in the county, then additional precincts are added to the manual count until all races are included in the manual count. In conjunction with the Riverside County Registrar of Voters Department personnel preparing for and conducting the November 2020 election, interested individuals could observe the election process as follows: 57 Election Observer Panel Orientation for the November 3, 2020 Consolidated General Election. (2020, October 8). Riverside County Registrar of Voters, Public Notice. https://www.voteinfo.net/Elections/20201103/docs/EOP_Public_Notice_EN.pdf. Accessed April 12, 2021. Vote-By-Mail Ballot Processing for the November 3, 2020 Consolidated General Election. (2020, October 20). Riverside County Registrar of Voters, Public Notice. https://www.voteinfo.net/Elections/20201103/docs/VBMProcessingNov32020.pdf. Accessed April 12, 2021. November 3, 2020 Consolidated General Election One Percent Manual Tally. (2020, October 26). Riverside County Registrar of Voters, Public Notice. https://www.voteinfo.net/Elections/20201103/docs/Manual%20Tally%20Public%20Notice%20- %20Nov%203%202020.pdf. Accessed April 12, 2021. One Percent Manual Tally. (2017, October 15). California Legislative Information, California Elections Code section 15360. https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?sectionNum=15360&lawCode=ELE C. Accessed April 11, 2021. 25 • observe the proceedings at the polls, including the opening and closing procedures • obtain information from the precinct index that is posted near the entrance • make notes and watch election procedures • view election-related activities at the central counting site on Election Day • view the canvass of the vote activities following the election • view vote-by-mail and provisional ballot processing • ask questions of poll workers or voters at the polls, but may not interfere with the conduct of any part of the voting process • ask questions of supervisors at the central counting site, but may not interfere with the conduct of the election procedures61 On December 3, 2020, the Riverside County Registrar of Voters certified the November 3, 2020 election for Riverside County and announced that requests for recounts needed to be submitted by December 8, 2020. To summarize Research Question 6 findings, the evidence is conclusive that ballots were accurately processed, counted, and reported. Research Question 7: Is there any evidence of election fraud that occurred during November 3, 2020 election as it was held within Riverside County?

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R6: The Riverside County Civil Grand Jury recommends the Registrar of Voters Department investigate what it would cost to produce at least two large signs (e.g., 36 by 24-inch square) per in-person voting location informing voters where to park and where to vote prior to the next primary election. Source: Finding 4 Financial Impact – There are no additional costs associated with developing a detailed plan. Training

F7: The Riverside County Civil Grand Jury acknowledges that even the topic of “election fraud” is controversial.62, 63 In Riverside County, election fraud investigations are initiated when the Registrar of Voters Department suspects fraud and contacts the District Attorney’s Office, or when citizens contact the District Attorney’s Office directly. When allegations of election fraud are received by the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office, they are investigated by the District Attorney’s Bureau of Investigation, Public Integrity Unit. There were dozens of election fraud allegations investigated in the past six years. Types of election fraud allegations investigated include non-citizens who registered to vote, non-citizens who voted in an election, deceased persons voting, 61 Election Observer Panel Plan (Consolidated Presidential General Election – November 3, 2020). (n.d.). Riverside County Registrar of Voters. https://www.voteinfo.net/Elections/20201103/docs/Riverside_EOP_Plan_Nov_2020.pdf. Accessed April 8, 2021. Fund, J. & Von Spakovsky, H. (2018, October 29). The Heritage Foundation. Voter Fraud Exists – Even Though Many in the Media Claim It Doesn’t. https://www.heritage.org/election- integrity/commentary/voter-fraud-exists-even-though-many-the-media-claim-it-doesnt. Accessed April 12, 2021. Levitt, J. (2007, November 9). The Brennan Center for Justice. The Truth About Voter Fraud. https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/truth-about-voter-fraud. Accessed April 12, 2021. 26 persons who forged a voter’s signature, citizens who voted when they knew they were not eligible to vote, and persons who submitted multiple ballots for the same election. When investigating November 2020 allegations of election fraud, the District Attorney’s Office indicated that there was no systematic or orchestrated voter disenfranchisement or election fraud. It is important to note that the District Attorney’s Office has prosecuted individuals for election fraud in the past and will continue to initiate court proceedings when there is evidence of election fraud in the future, but obtaining evidence of election fraud is difficult to obtain without a subpoena, due to California privacy laws. Although both the Registrar of Voters Department and the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office recognize that there was a possibility that election fraud can occur,64 there was no evidence that it did occur during the November 2020 election. The Riverside County Civil Grand Jury commends the District Attorney’s Office for diligently investigating allegations of election fraud and for pursuing legal remedies when justified. The Riverside County Civil Grand Jury commends members of the Registrar of Voters Department for the extensive and complex work they do to ensure that Riverside County elections are fair and impartial. When Riverside County city officials were asked if there was any evidence of election fraud during the November 2020 election, none of the officials in Riverside County’s 28 cities were aware of any evidence that election fraud occurred. The Riverside County Civil Grand Jury commends Riverside County city officials for their efforts to conduct a safe, fair, and impartial election within their cities, especially during the pandemic. When Riverside County political party leaders were asked if there was any evidence of election fraud during the November 2020 election, they expressed concerns about the election process as it is conducted in California, but none of them indicated that there was any evidence of election fraud within Riverside County. Candidates on the November 2020 ballot were asked if there was any evidence of election fraud. Whether they won or lost their election, they all indicated there was no evidence of election fraud. 64 “Riverside County registrar accuses DA of bullying, interfering with election,” The Press Enterprise, by Jeff Horseman, March 4, 2021, https://www.pe.com/2021/03/03/riverside-county-registrar-accuses-da- of-bullying-interfering-with-election/, Accessed March 23, 2021. To summarize Research Question 7 findings, there is no evidence of election fraud during the November 2020 election. Conclusion Was the Riverside County November 2020 Consolidated General Election administered fairly and impartially? The abundance of evidence leads to the conclusion, “Yes, the November 2020 election within Riverside County was administered fairly and impartially and there is no evidence of fraud.” There will always be ways to improve the Riverside County’s election process, and some of those ways to improve are listed in the “Recommendations” section of this report.

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R7: The Riverside County Civil Grand Jury recommends the Registrar of Voters Department modify their training sessions as follows: • For in-person voting location supervisors and assistant supervisors, insert hands-on training activities and role-playing scenarios, especially with the technology to be used in the election. • For in-person voting location personnel not serving as a supervisor or as an assistant supervisor, modify their training sessions to include a more comprehensive view of how to assist voters when supervisors and assistant supervisors are not available. These training enhancements should be included in future training sessions prior to the next primary election. Source: Finding 3 Financial Impact – Additional costs are dependent on how these training enhancements are inserted into the current training sessions. Technology

Additional Recommendations 6

Not linked to specific findings.

R8: The Riverside County Civil Grand Jury recommends that the Registrar of Voters Department develop and implement a policy that requires all future in-person voting locations to confirm that the technology functions properly prior to opening those locations for in-person voting. It is recommended that this policy be established and implemented prior to the next primary election. Source: Finding 4 Financial Impact – There are no additional costs associated with this recommendation.

R9: The Riverside County Civil Grand Jury recommends the Registrar of Voters Department develop a detailed plan, including technology resources, to eliminate long waiting lines and to present that plan to the Board of Supervisors no later than their first public meeting in 2022. Source: Finding 4 Financial Impact – There are no additional costs associated with this recommendation. Drop-Off Boxes

R10: The Riverside County Civil Grand Jury recognizes that many vote-by-mail drop-off box locations were accessible to the public only when monitored by city personnel or by Registrar of Voters Department personnel. The Riverside County Civil Grand Jury recommends the Registrar of Voters Department develop and implement a plan that reinforces drop-off box security by electronically monitoring drop-off box locations accessible to the public when not otherwise monitored by city or county personnel. The plan should commence prior to the next primary election. Source: Finding 5 Financial Impact – Since there are only a few drop-off box locations accessible to the public and not monitored by city or county personnel, the cost will be minimal.

R11: The Riverside County Civil Grand Jury recommends that the Registrar of Voters Department redesign drop-off boxes so that they (1) include the words “Official Riverside County Registrar of Voters Ballot Drop-Off Box,” (2) have the official Riverside County insignia on them, and (3) use of colors that do not suggest affiliation with a particular political party. Drop-off box redesign should commence prior to the next primary election. Source: Finding 5 Financial Impact – Unknown

R12: The Riverside County Civil Grand Jury recommends that the Registrar of Voters Department have a means to electronically track secure containers of ballots as they are transported from drop-off box locations to the county’s ballot processing facility. Electronically tracking ballots as they are transported to the processing facility should commence prior to the next primary election. Source: Finding 5 Financial Impact – Negligible or no additional cost associated with these recommendations.

R13: The Riverside County Civil Grand Jury recommends that the Riverside Board of Supervisors establish a policy that requires the Riverside County Executive Office to schedule and preside over at least one coordinating meeting, per election, among various county departments that have direct or indirect responsibility for ensuring safe and fair elections, commencing prior to the next primary election, and continuing thereafter. It is suggested that representatives from the District Attorney’s Office, Registrar of Voters Department, Sheriff’s Department, Information Technology Department, and County Public Information Officer attend this meeting, so that logistical and communication issues can be addressed prior to each election held in Riverside County. Source: Finding 4 Financial Impact – There are no additional costs associated with this recommendation.

November 03, 2020 — Was the Riverside County November 2020 Consolidated General Election Administered Fairly and Impartially?

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July 24, 2020 — Continuity Report 2020 – 2021 Why publish a Continuity Report? The Civil Grand Jury evaluates various matters of County*

65 pages 16 findings 16 recommendations

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F1: The PVRCD does not have the

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R1: The 1991 resolution be voided. Improvement District is not a authority to establish the McCoy District 'special district'. It is an County Auditor-Controller cancel X x x as a special district (split from the McCoy audit from the McCoy District & "improvement district" managed by Wash Flood Improvement District on Dec include with PVRCD audit. the PVRCD. LAFCO approval not 9, 1991) required, per PVRCD Except for combining the two

F2: PVRCD has not submitted an audited

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R2: Board of Directors be overseen districts, respondent has financial statement to the Controller or by Riverside County Counsel and implemented recommendation. Х Х X County Counsel determined County Auditor-Controller's office since instructed to comply with CGC combining the two districts is within 2007. §26909 (a)(2). iurisdiction of their boards.

F3: The duties of the PVRCD Board of County Counsel and the PVRCD to

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R3: The PVRCD establish and follow Directors have been performed in an be working together to establish Х Х inconsistent manner: no action to provide X procedures IAW the Calif. Resource necessary policies and procedures. income; no policies or procedures; no Conservation District Handbook. No further information available. budget; no scheduled meetings. Per County Counsel, based on

F4: Documents provided by the board information provided, unable to

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R4: The Board of Supervisors vets show evidence of incompatibility of office. conclude a violation of code X Х pursuant to California Government Code appointments to offices on RCDs and §1099(a). PVRCD will vet potential §1099(a). Director who holds public office special districts for incompatibility. appointees for compliance with also serves on board of PVRCD. CGC §1099(a). FURTHER STUDY NEEDEI DISAGREE PARTIALLY WILL NOT IMPLEMENT DISAGREE WHOLLY DID NOT RESPOND FUNDING NEEDED RCCGJ 2015-2016 RCCGJ 2015-2016 WILL IMPLEMENT DO NOT AGREE MPLEMENTED Reports: Reports: Notes on Responses Recommendations

F5: Accessibility of Policies and intranet so that policies and procedures Procedures on Intranet. Grand Jury 'Under construction" folders are under construction or revision remain observed that policies under revision are placeholders for new policy to be valid and accessible until the updated identified on DPSS Intranet as "under created.Back-ups using CD or flash policy is approved. Develop electronic X X drives not feasible due to cost of Х construction". During that time, policy storage system that can be used as back- maintaining and distributing and information not available and accessible only up when intranet not available. Ensure unnecessary with centralized through office hard copies. Two of six DPSS outdated versions are available to intranet and cloud storage. office locations do not have hard copies of supervisors and administrators for policies and procedures. historical or reference purposes. RCCGJ2015-2016.04 Riverside County Code Enforcement Dept. (Report Issued: 6/21/2016) F 1: Disagree. Department goal is to achieve voluntary compliance. Complaints have unique, fact

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R5: Update Intranet. Update the

F6: Disparate Treatment of Grand Jury F 6: Disagree, Department complies Treatment. Appropriate steps should Complaints. Complaining employee in this with all applicable policies, laws and be taken to prevent disparate and regulations. Department is legally matter was treated differently than all other unlawful treatment of county employees precluded from providing any county employee witnesses. Appearance that who file complaints with Civil Grand Jury. further information. complaints to Grand Jury carry less X Х Ensure Department follows board

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R6: Prevention Disparate

F7: Vending machine snacks for staff staff future

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R7: Vending machine snacks for Not yet implemented but will be in Х Х Х

F8: Weighting of bid selection for

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R8: Weighting of bid selection for X X | X | Not warranted or is not reasonable Commissary contractor Commissary contractor

F9: Indigent kits paid for by the vendor vendor

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R9: Indigent kits paid for by the X X X Not warranted or is not reasonable

F10: Inadequate Audits (RCSD) R 10(a): In ad equate Audits (RC SD) "[A]udits are only distributed within the "Illndependent audits should be

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R10: Reports Not Properly Screened for Content Continuity RCSD stated it would not

F11: Impact on Citizens and Businesses X | X | Not warranted or is not reasonable Businesses

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R11: Impact on Citizens and X

F12: Failure to Adhere to IWF & Х χl X Not warranted or is not reasonable Committee Bylaws & Policies Committee Bylaws and Policies

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R12: Failure to Adhere to IWF &

F13: Contractor Employee Background

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R13: Contractor Employee Х Х X reasonable Checks and Security (a, b, and c) Background Checks and Security

F14: Reserve Funds Policy (a and b) reasonable b) This report was published without a "Finding #15", but it does include

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R14: Reserve Funds Policy (a and x x X

F15: See comment in the Notes column. Х modify Policy 501.13 ... accounting occur following submission to Corrections Standards Committee firm rotation every three years" for approval (meeting scheduled for Aug 2018) FURTHER STUDY NEEDEI DISAGREE PARTIALLY WILL NOT IMPLEMENT DISAGREE WHOLLY DID NOT RESPOND FUNDING NEEDED RCCGJ 2017-2018 RCCGJ 2017-2018 WILL IMPLEMENT DO NOT AGREE MPLEMENTED Notes on Responses Reports: Reports: Findings

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R15: IWF Policy and Bylaws a Recommendation #151 'should have consistent language...

F56: FURTHER STUDY NEEDEL DISAGREE PARTIALLY WILL NOT IMPLEMENT DISAGREE WHOLLY DID NOT RESPOND FUNDING NEEDED RCCGJ 2015-2016 RCCGJ 2015-2016 WILL IMPLEMENT DO NOT AGREE IMPLEMENTED Notes on Responses Reports: Reports:

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R56: FURTHER STUDY NEEDEL DISAGREE PARTIALLY WILL NOT IMPLEMENT DISAGREE WHOLLY DID NOT RESPOND FUNDING NEEDED RCCGJ 2015-2016 RCCGJ 2015-2016 WILL IMPLEMENT DO NOT AGREE IMPLEMENTED Notes on Responses Reports: Reports: Recommendations

July 24, 2020 — Continuity Report 2020 – 2021 Why publish a Continuity Report? The Civil Grand Jury evaluates various matters of County*

65 pages 16 findings 16 recommendations

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F1: The PVRCD does not have the

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F2: PVRCD has not submitted an audited

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F3: The duties of the PVRCD Board of County Counsel and the PVRCD to

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F4: Documents provided by the board information provided, unable to

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R5: Update Intranet. Update the

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R6: Prevention Disparate

F7: Vending machine snacks for staff staff future

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R7: Vending machine snacks for Not yet implemented but will be in Х Х Х

F8: Weighting of bid selection for

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R8: Weighting of bid selection for X X | X | Not warranted or is not reasonable Commissary contractor Commissary contractor

F9: Indigent kits paid for by the vendor vendor

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R9: Indigent kits paid for by the X X X Not warranted or is not reasonable

F10: Inadequate Audits (RCSD) R 10(a): In ad equate Audits (RC SD) "[A]udits are only distributed within the "Illndependent audits should be

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R10: Reports Not Properly Screened for Content Continuity RCSD stated it would not

F11: Impact on Citizens and Businesses X | X | Not warranted or is not reasonable Businesses

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R11: Impact on Citizens and X

F12: Failure to Adhere to IWF & Х χl X Not warranted or is not reasonable Committee Bylaws & Policies Committee Bylaws and Policies

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R12: Failure to Adhere to IWF &

F13: Contractor Employee Background

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R13: Contractor Employee Х Х X reasonable Checks and Security (a, b, and c) Background Checks and Security

F14: Reserve Funds Policy (a and b) reasonable b) This report was published without a "Finding #15", but it does include

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R14: Reserve Funds Policy (a and x x X

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R15: IWF Policy and Bylaws a Recommendation #151 'should have consistent language...

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* This report's PDF did not contain easily extractable text and required Optical Character Recognition (OCR) for analysis. There may be minor errors in the extracted findings and recommendations due to OCR limitations with scanned documents.